Data indicating device for printing machines

ABSTRACT

The disclosure relates to a data indicating device for printing machines wherein a plurality of rotatable type wheels adjacently aligned, and respectively inscribed with printing numerals on the peripheries thereof are each furnished with a gear at one side thereof, and the same number of rack bars are arranged each to engage the gear of the type wheel, and manual operating end portions of the rack bars project out of the machine housing in spaced relation. To these operating portions are connected flexible data indicating bands bearing on one face thereof numerals corresponding to the printing numerals on the peripheries of the type wheels, and these bands are guided on a concave curved inner surface to windows formed in the machine housing, thereby to indicate at the windows the selected printing numerals corresponding to those on the type wheels which are rotated by manipulation of the operating and portions of the rack bars.

United States Patent 91 Nakada et al.

[451 Jan. 8, 1974 DATA INDICATING DEVICE FOR PRINTING MACHINES [73]Assignee: Janome Sewing Machine Co., Ltd.,

Tokyo, Japan [22] Filed: Sept; 20, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 181,887

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 29,1970 Japan 45/133079 [52]U.S. CI. 101/45, 101/95 [51] Int. Cl 1341f 5/08 [58] Field of Search"101/45, 269-274, 101/110, 111, 95

[56] References Cited 2 UNITED STATES PATENTS King 101/111 Jackson eta1. 101/111 Primary ExaminerRobert E. Bagwill Assistant Examiner-E. M.Coven AttorneyMichael S. Striker [57] ABSTRACT The disclosure relates toa data indicating device for printing machines wherein a plurality ofrotatable type wheels adjacently aligned, and respectively inscribedwith printing numerals on the peripheries thereof are each furnishedwith a gear at one side thereof, and the same number of rack bars arearranged each to engage the gear of the type wheel, and manual operatingend portions of the rack bars project out of the machine housing inspaced relation. To these operating portions are connected flexible dataindicating bands bearing on one face thereof numerals corresponding tothe printing numerals on the peripheries of the type wheels, and thesebands are guided on a concave curved inner surface to windows formed inthe machine housing, thereby to indicate at the windows the selectedprinting numerals corresponding to those on the type wheels which arerotated by manipulation of the operating and portions of the rack bars.

8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PAIENIEUJAH 8 m4 3783; 778 sum 30? 3BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a data indicatingdevice for printing machines for visually indicating the numerals forprinting.

As well known, registration has to be effected on slips or sales recordsin various sales transactions, and such registration has been made bythe penmanship of dealers. Recently in order to avoid many troubles andinconveniences accompanied by such a manner of registration, simplifiedprinting machines are employed by dealers. However, these printingmachines still remain to be improved. According to the conventionalprinting machines, the selection of numerals is not always well effectedsince the operator has to watch the selected numerals while he isselecting these numerals to be printed. Besides the dealers who treatsuch printing machines are usually not well accustomed to the printingtypes, and it is not easy for them to read the type numerals while theyare manually turning the type wheels, since the printing types are smalland made of a metallic substance.

The invention has been devised to eliminate the shortcomings anddisadvantages of the prior arts. The fundamental object of the presentinvention is to provide a device in which the printing numerals areindicated in a series of windows on the machine housing by means offlexible data indicating bands, instead of watching the printing'typesas in the prior art. Due to the indication by means of the flexiblenumeral indicating bands, it is possible to avoid trouble in reading theprinting types. According to the invention, even those who are notaccustomed to printing machines may easily handle the printing machineand confirm the selected numerals as they are indicated.

Another object of the invention is to provide on the band enlargedprinting numerals for indication. As above stated, the printing types onthe type wheels are comparatively small and it is not easy to read themfor continuation. According to theinvention, enlarged selected nume ralsare indicated in the windows in the machine housing by means of theflexible data indicating bands. For this purpose, the manually operatedend portions of rack bars are arranged parallel spaced from each otherto rotate a series of type wheels, and to the operating end portions ofrack bars are respectively connected the data or numeral indicatingbands so that these bands may be moved to the respective windows bymanipulation of the end portions of rack bars, thereby to indicate atthe windows the enlarged numerals on the bands which correspond to theprinting types on the type wheels.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a data indicatingdevice for printing machines which may be accommodated in a smallmachine housing and easily operated. For this purpose, the dataornumeral indicating bands are made of a flexible material so that it maybe suitably guided along a concave curved inner face inside of themachine housing. Since the bands at the curved face within the machinehousing are pressed against the windows at the inside thereof,indication of the numerals will be obtained. Because the indicatingbands are flexible, they can be appropriately arranged within thecomparatively small space in the printing machines which are generallyfor use in shops and department stores.

Many other features and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description of the preferable embodiments inreference to the attached drawing, in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of a printing machine embodying the dataindicating device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the data indicating deviceof the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross section taken along line III III of the printingmachine shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the data indicating device ofthe present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross section showing another embodiment of data indicatingdevice according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross section showing still another embodiment of dataindicating device according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In reference to FIGS. 1 3, aprinting bed 1 is mounted on a machine housing 10 in the opening 11 onthe front part. The top surface of the housing is down- I wardly slopingfrom the rear part to the front part, and accordingly the printing bed Iis sloping on the housing. A panel 9 is provided on the housingrearwardly of the printing bed. On the printing bed ll there areprovided a printing plate 12, date printing wheels 13, positioningpieces 14 for positioning a copy sheet on the printing bed, and anopening 15 through which a plurality of type wheels 3 bearing printingtypes forming numerals are partly exposed. On both sides of the printingbed 1 slots 16 between the printing bed and the opening ill on the topsurface of the housing are left free. Into the slots 16 dependent pieces42 on both sides of a carriage 41- are inserted, and the carriage 4 ismovably held on the printing bed by means of rollers 43 attached to thedepending pieces 42 and engaging both marginal side surfaces of theprinting bed 1. A platen roller 41 is rotatably supported on thecarriare 4, so that it effects printing on the copy sheets such as salesslips placed on a predetermined place on the printing bed ll, from theprinting plate 12, the date printing wheels 13, and the type wheels 3 onwhich the cipy sheet is placed, before the carriage is moved traverselyof the printing bed ll.

For manually rotating'the type wheels 3 to select any of the typesforming numerals on the peripheries thereof for printing, gears 31 areprovided. These gears are fixedly attached to one side of the respectivetype wheels 3, and rotatably arranged on a shaft 32 coaxial with thetype wheels 3. The gears 31 are respectively engaged by rack bars 2which have racks 26 formed thereon. The rack bars 2 are as shown in FIG.2 parallel and in a spaced relation to each other, and slidably guidedon fixed comb shaped guide 2i which is located under the rack bars 2.The rack bars are, except the central one, bent at the end horizontallyas designated by reference numeral 23, and then bent upwardly to formvertical portions 29. Thus the portions 29 of the rack bars 2 arearranged properly and equally spaced from each other a greater distancethan rack portions 2, 26. The panel 9 is formed with parallel slots 91extending in equally spaced from each other, and from these slots theupper neck portions 27 of the vertical portions 29 of the rack bars 2project outside of the panel 9 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Knobs 22 areattached to the upper ends of the rack bars 2, 29. Just below the neckportions 27, projections 24 are provided on portions 29 of the rack bars2, which are provided with catch engaging elements 25 fonned on theupper faces thereof as shown especially in FIGS. 4 and 5. The engagingcatch elements 25 are respectively adapted to engage serrated plates 99which are each provided inside of the panel 9 along the slots 91.

The rack bars 2 are selectively moved by the operator holding themanually operated knobs 22 in the longitudinal direction of the slots91, that is, from the position at which the vertical portion 29 of therack bar 2 is illustrated in a solid line to the position at which theportion 29 is illustrated in an imaginary line as shown in FIGS. 3, 5and 6. The rack bars 2 are detained in any desirable position within theslots 91 of the panel 9 by engagement between any one of the recesses ofthe serrated plate 99 with the engaging elements 25 on the projections24. Thus the type wheels 3 are rotated by longitudinal movement of therack bars 2 to bring selected numerals on the type wheels to theprinting positions.

As particularly shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, flexible numeral or dataindicating bands 5 are at one end thereof connected to the neck portions27 of the rack bars 2 by means of a slot 51 formed in one end of eachband 5 through which each neck portion 27 is inserted. The bands 5 areeach provided on one face thereof with indicating numerals 52corresponding to the numerals 34 of the types on the periphery of thetype wheels 3. For guiding the indicating bands 5, the panel 9 is at itsforward end portion an inclined wall portion 9a and further has aprojecting portion 96. To the underside of the portion 96 of the panel9, a block 8 is attached by means of fastening screws 81. The slantedwall portion 9a and the portion 96 of the panel 9 and the block 8provide at their inner surfaces a continuous curved concave inner guidefaces 90 as shown in FIG. 3. A portion of the flexible indicating band 5having a row of indicia numerals slidingly abuts the curved faces 90.The inclined portion 9a of the panel 9 is formed with a series ofwindows traversely of the panel 9 under which each indicia numeral onthe numeral indicating bands 5 can be placed so that it may be observedfrom outside of the printing machine, since the bands 5 are guided alongthe paths in which the windows are located. Inside of the inclinedportion 9a of the panel 9, an elongated holding plate 93 is providedtransversely of the panel 9 and closely opposite to the series ofwindows 92 forming a gap to hold a portion of the numeral indicatingbands 5 against the respective windows. Another holding rod 94 isprovided in parallel with the holding plate 93 just below the same andclosely opposite the curved faces 90 of the panel 9 to hold part of eachband 5 against the curved faces 90. The holding rod 94 is, as shown inFIG. 4, arranged in a recess 97 on the portion 96 of the panel 9 and ina confronting recess 87 on the block 8. Further a guiding plate 82parallel with the holding rod 94 is located just below the same andclosely opposite the curved faces 90 to hold a portion of each numeralindicating band 5 in a gap against the lower curved face 90 as shown inFIG. 3. Thus the numeral indicating bands 5 are guided in the correctdirection. The panel 9 is supported on the machine housing 10 with theflange 98 around the panel being overlaid on the edge around the opening11 in which the panel 10 is fitted as shown in FIG. 3.

For accurately angularly positioning the type wheels 3 which arerespectively rotated by the rack bars 2 through the gears 31, detentelements 6 are arranged perpendicular to the rotation axis of the gears31 as shown in FIG. 2. The detent elements 6 are spring biased towardthe rotation axis of the gears 31 so that the protruded ends 61 of thedetent elements may engage respective recesses of the gears at alltimes. The detent elements 6 can be guided in the longitudinal directionby a guide bar 64 which engages aligned recesses 63 formed on the rearends of the detent elements 6, and can be resiliently displaced for adistance limited by a rod in slots 62 respectively formed on the detentelements 6, when the type wheels 3 and gears 31 are rotated for dataselection. A U-shaped frame 7 is provided for holding the detentelements 6 and the type wheels 3 fixed in the respective selectedpositions. The frame 7 is turned around a cross shaft 72 in response totransverse printing movement of the carriage 4 on the printing bed 1thereby to hold with its cross bar 71 the rear portions of the detentelements 6 to prevent the same from moving in the longitudinal directionduring the printing operation. Accordingly the type wheels 3 are fixedlyheld by the respective detent elements 6 and prevented from beingangularly displaced during the printing operation. The turning movementof the U-shaped frame 7 is effected by the carriage 4 moving traverselyacross the printing bed 1. I

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the present invention, in which aroller 94a is provided for each indicating band 5. The roller isarranged in the forward part of the panel 9 and has a power springmounted therein, so that it may wind up and let off the indicating band5 depending upon operation of the corresponding rack bar 2, since theend of the band 5 is fixedly connected to the roller (94a).

FIG. 6 shows still another embodiment according to the presentinvention, in which a pair of rollers 94b is provided within the panelfor each data indicating band 5 which is made endless. The two rollers94b are oppositely arranged in the rear and front parts respectively ofthe panel 9 and carry the data indicating band 5 so that the band can betransferred in the manner as a belt conveyor as the corresponding rackbar 2 is operated.

In either construction, it is apparent that the type wheels 3 arerotated by the gears 31 by moving the respective rack bars 2 while theor data indicating bands 5 are correspondingly moved to indicate theselected numerals at the windows of the panel 9 representing thecorresponding printing type numerals on the type wheels 3. According tothe embodiments of the present invention, it is no more necessary totake trouble in checking the printing type numerals. The selected dataor numerals on the type wheels are easily confirmed in reference to thedata or numeral indicating bands, the numerals on which are selectivelyindicated at the windows of the panel on the printing machine.Therefore, the numerals to'be printed are selected rapidly and easily.Structure is comparatively simple, compact and convenient for massproduction, bringing about industrial advantages.

We claim:

1. Data indicating device for printing machines comprising housingmeans; at least one type means having angularly spaced types and mountedon said housing means for turning movement; operating means includingmanual means and being mounted on said housing means for movement, saidoperating means being connected with said type means for turning thesame stepwise between a pluralityof angular positions in which differenttypes are in a printing position; a control panel on said housing meanshaving a wall portion with a curved concave inner guide face and atleast one window opening on said inner guide face; holding meanssupported on said panel located inward of said curved concave innerguide face and having at least one guide face confronting said curvedconcave inner guide face and forming at least one gap with the same; andat least one flexible data indicating band having a portion with a rowof indicia spaced corresponding to said types, said band having one endsecured to said manual means, and a free end threaded through said gap,said band having a thickness corresponding to the width of said gap sothat the outer face of said portion of said band is slidingly guided onsaid curved concave inner guide face, whereby due to simultaneousturning of said type means and movement of said band by said manualmeans that index is always located directly under said window whichcorresponds to that type which is in said printing position. i

2. Data indicating device as claimed in claim 1 including a guide blocksecured to said wall portion and having a curved concave inner guideface forming a continuation of said curved concave inner guide face ofsaid wall portion and wherein said curved concave inner guide face ofsaid wall portion and said curved concave inner guide face of said blocktogether extend over substantially 180 for guiding the free end of saidband back toward said manual means.

3. Data indicating device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said holdingmeans include a plurality of angularly spaced holding members forming aplurality of angularly spaced gaps along said curved concave inner guideface for guiding said band along angularly spaced portions of saidcurved concave guide face.

4. Data indicating device as claimed in claim 3 wherein one of saidholding members includes a holding bar mounted in confronting recessesof said panel and said block.

5. Data indicating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said wallportion is slanted for observation of said indicia through said window.

6. Data indicating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said operatingmeans include a gear secured to said type wheel, and a rack bar meshingwith said gear and having a manually operated part constituting saidmanual means.

7. Data indicating device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said partincludes horizontal and vertical portions, said manually operatedvertical portion having a manually operated end portion and beingaligned with said window; and wherein said one end of said band issecured to said end portion of said vertical portion.

8. Data indicating device as claimed in claim 1, comprising a springbiased roller mounted in said panel and to which said free end of saidband is secured so that said band is rolled up on said roller by aspring force when said band is pushed by said manual means along saidcurved guide face.

1. Data indicating device for printing machines comprising housingmeans; at least one type means having angularly spaced types and mountedon said housing means for turning movement; operating means includingmanual means and being mounted on said housing means for movement, saidoperating means being connected with said type means for turning thesame stepwise between a plurality of angular positions in whichdifferent types are in a printing position; a control panel on saidhousing means having a wall portion with a curved concave inner guideface and at least one window opening on said inner guide face; holdingmeans supported on said panel located inward of said curved concaveinner guide face and having at least one gUide face confronting saidcurved concave inner guide face and forming at least one gap with thesame; and at least one flexible data indicating band having a portionwith a row of indicia spaced corresponding to said types, said bandhaving one end secured to said manual means, and a free end threadedthrough said gap, said band having a thickness corresponding to thewidth of said gap so that the outer face of said portion of said band isslidingly guided on said curved concave inner guide face, whereby due tosimultaneous turning of said type means and movement of said band bysaid manual means that index is always located directly under saidwindow which corresponds to that type which is in said printingposition.
 2. Data indicating device as claimed in claim 1 including aguide block secured to said wall portion and having a curved concaveinner guide face forming a continuation of said curved concave innerguide face of said wall portion and wherein said curved concave innerguide face of said wall portion and said curved concave inner guide faceof said block together extend over substantially 180* for guiding thefree end of said band back toward said manual means.
 3. Data indicatingdevice as claimed in claim 1 wherein said holding means include aplurality of angularly spaced holding members forming a plurality ofangularly spaced gaps along said curved concave inner guide face forguiding said band along angularly spaced portions of said curved concaveguide face.
 4. Data indicating device as claimed in claim 3 wherein oneof said holding members includes a holding bar mounted in confrontingrecesses of said panel and said block.
 5. Data indicating device asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said wall portion is slanted for observationof said indicia through said window.
 6. Data indicating device asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said operating means include a gear securedto said type wheel, and a rack bar meshing with said gear and having amanually operated part constituting said manual means.
 7. Dataindicating device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said part includeshorizontal and vertical portions, said manually operated verticalportion having a manually operated end portion and being aligned withsaid window; and wherein said one end of said band is secured to saidend portion of said vertical portion.
 8. Data indicating device asclaimed in claim 1, comprising a spring biased roller mounted in saidpanel and to which said free end of said band is secured so that saidband is rolled up on said roller by a spring force when said band ispushed by said manual means along said curved guide face.